REVISED 3/10/2011:
Announcing the final version (on 3/10/2011) of the modem and pup_event fix packs, "version 11" (although labeled only with the release date). The attached package is appropriate for woof-derived puppies that do not include the "zzz" replacement for this logic (up to about March 1, 2011), and the original puppy 4.3.1/4.3.2 (any variant).

I need some of you wireless-modem users to test this, particularly if getting the right ttyUSB port is an issue. While I have tested the pieces of the upgrade, I am unable to test with a real wireless modem, so need reports of any regression problems, too.

The main advances beyond the original 4.3.x are:
- Better support for wireless modems that use a port other than ttyUSB0 or ttyACM0, by either finding the correct port or allowing the user to find it in pupdial.
- Reduction of firmware (initialization script) tarballs for ttyUSB devices, by using a single tarball for all (36+) specialized front-end drivers for the usbserial module.
- Correction of modem detection impacted by the presence of Conexant modems. If a built-in modem is not detected initially, a reboot may then result in a correct detection (ttySL0).
- Modification of the pupdial window to be more usable on small screens.

PupDial operational changes:
- "Test" section button changes:
-- For wireless modems, the "ttyxxxx" button may show ports other than the current selection, indicating that another port may work better -- clicking tests that port and selects it if successful. Each possibility will show in the button on successive uses of it.
-- The "probe" button is renamed "Choose", to reflect the expanded purpose of the original ""modem probe" sub-dialog -- to control the selection of modem port, probing being one such means.
- The "GOOD! Modem selected" message is made more appropriate, fitting on a single line and reflecting whether the modem is newly detected or the same as earlier.
- The "Disconnect" and "Exit" buttons are moved above the Status Log, which can extend below the desktop, making the buttons accessible on a short screen.

Connect Wizard change: If the previously selected modem is no longer attached, that condition is stated instead of "No modem detected".

About the package installation:
1. For a new puppy 4.3.1 or 4.3.2 installation, first create a pupsave file or a full installation of puppy, and reboot. This is necessary because, otherwise, some no-longer-used files and directories may not stay deleted over the first reboot.

2. Install modem-modprobe_fix_pack_to_43x-20110310.pet

3. Future usb-modeswitch packages can probably be installed over this "modem-modprobe" package, which would replace the current modeswitch components. Be sure to reboot before using the updated mode switcher, to allow puppy to adapt it for this "protected" installation. (or run from the command line: pusbmodeswitch_protect).

Please post any feedback to this thread. The old "Integrated 3G wireless..." project thread is only for earlier puppy versions, 4.2 and older. If you encounter a problem, please run the command, pmodemdiag, and attach the tarball file it produces in your home directory, to your posting.

I intend this as my final major upgrade to modem support, but expect more "fine tuning" as users report unique issues. Thank you for whatever assistance you can provide to debug or verify this upgrade.
Richard

UPDATE 3/10/2011: Replaced all 5 of the previously attached packages with a single package containing updated versions of them. It can be installed on any existing installation of puppy 4.3.x or later, but not wary or quirky (which replace the content with a different implementation), and puppeee (which has unique requirements).

I feel I have gone as far as I can with these areas for the "pre-zzz" puppies -- until I see reports of problems or issues with these packages. Just let me know.
Richard

UPDATE 3/13/2011: Uploaded version with corrections to alsaconf and modprobe_protect for sound cards, after download number 5. Ready for testing with Luci 254.

UPDATE 3/17/2011: Uploaded version with corrections to module loading and alsa support. Module loading failed if an "install" statement for a module is present in the modprobe.d directory. This problem probably also exists in wary and woof! The ALSA scripts are those used in Lucid pup 254, with minor updates.

Later, same day: Re-uploaded the package after download number 8, to correct the script that converts the modeswitcher to "protected" interface, as well as the pinstall script, to work in a puppy build situation.

UPDATE 3/19/2011: Uploaded version with sound card number assignment corrected so that with multiple cards, the first found is retained across reboots and that non-audio cards (e.g., modems) do not disable audio cards. The ALSA wizard can be used to set the preferred card (driver), to override the automatic choice. The modem part needs testing by someone with an ALSA modem.

UPDATE 3/20/2011: Uploaded version with more sound card corrections related to the ALSA Wizard (for changing sound cards and drivers). This should also restore the "woof-woof" following a change in driver module selection.

UPDATE 3/21/2011: Uploaded version with updated remaster script that prevents propagating the now-obsolete files and directories to the remaster result.

UPDATE 4/17/2011: Uploaded version with further remaster and upgrade/update refinements -- as special versions for installing the modem-modprobe package. Improved the i915 fix for eccentric Intel 845 video controllers (such as mine). Reworked the Lucid-pup personal configuration logic to support remastering (and multiple versions of lupu). Verified functionality with Lucid-pups 5.25, 5.20, 5.11 and 5.01.

UPDATE 4/21/2011: Uploaded modem-modprobe fix with only cosmetic and insignificant changes (after download 14), and the pre-update package (after download 4)) to support update to pupsaves already containing the modem-modprobe fix and to retain the fix.

UPDATE 6/23/2011: Uploaded modem-modprobe fix to (1) correct its failure to install into lupu 5.2+ (due to missing depmod executable and hang), (2) rework the Lucid Puppy "personal configuration popup" for compatibility with the remaster script and avoid the need for a special user workaround, (3) eliminate repeated "unknown operand" messages in xerrs.log and (4) support lupu 5.25 retro and the installation of modem drivers into it.

UPDATE 7/2/2011: Uploaded modem-modprobe fix after download number 30, with usb_modeswitch upgraded to 1.1.8 and its 20110619 data base.

UPDATE 8/6/2011: Uploaded new usb_modeswitch package, 1.1.9 and its 20110805 data base. Intended for Lucid Puppy 5.27 and above, and Wary 5.1.2. It can also be installed over modem-modprobe package 20110702 for puppy-4.3.1-based distros, but will be included in the next version of modem-modprobe.

UPDATE 9/5/2011: Uploaded modem-modprobe fix after download number 241, with usb_modeswitch upgraded to 1.1.9 and its 20110805 data base. It contains bug fixes up to the level of lucid pup 5.2.8, so is not to be installed into lupu 5.2.8 or later.

UPDATE 11/14/2011: Uploaded new usb_modeswitch package, 1.2.0 and its 20111023 data base. Intended for Lucid Puppy 5.28 with IU2 and above. It can also be installed over modem-modprobe package 20110908 for puppy-4.3.1-based distros, but will be included in the next version of modem-modprobe.
EDIT: Note that wary service pack 5.2.1 already contains usb_modeswitch 1.2.0 and its data base. The service pack should be used instead of this new modeswitch package, for wary 5.2.Last edited by rerwin on Thu 17 Nov 2011, 19:02; edited 82 times in total

Well I'm not having any success with these dotpets after changing from 4.31 to qrky1.20 live cd. I don't have a wired connection so have to boot in and out of windows in order to test the live cd. My modem is a U6-T..... model from crazy john's (vodafone reseller) in australia._________________Buy silver, crash JPMorgan

stiginge,
I am not trying to ignore you. I just do not have an answer. We see this problem even without these updates, so at least we know they do not help you.

Quote:

I tried with each of the ttyusb ports but no joy.

Did you do this with the "test" button or by editing wvdial.conf. If not with the button, could you try that? Not that it would make any difference, but it would tell me how the "test" option behaves. Does it give you the option to test all of the ttyUSB devices or only certain ones? I intend that it should present only the devices that respond to the "AT" commands , typical of a modem device. I expect only two of them should be available.

Obviously, there is some factor we are not considering. A while ago I googled to find out more about that issue, but did not form any conclusions (other than any I might have already told you). You could try that yourself, to see if you can find a clue. There may be idiosyncrasies about the modem, or maybe something "dumb" that I am overlooking. One of my ways to allow solutions to occur to me is to just do something else. (Walking the dog usually helps.) But, so far nothing has "jumped out", so to speak. Another technique is to research something else somehow related to the issue; often I encounter answers to old problems as I google the new issue.

My main source of information and ideas about wireless modems is the usb_modeswitch developer's website and its forum: http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/
I hope we can stumble upon the key to this, eventually.
Richard

rerwin I downloaded the spup 0.4 beta with kernel 2.6.34.1 and my modem motorola sm56 id 1057:3052 class 0703 is recognized but does not connect. I'm browsing via livecd puppy 4.3.1 and cheering for the next versions provide support because it's still sold in Brazil. Congratulations on working friend!

bopapu, Dean,
Thanks for reporting your difficulty, bopapu. To answer you, I installed spup 0.4 on my development/test Aptiva PC, with a SmartLink PCI modem installed. I saw the same messages as you saw, but they repeated endlessly. And it gets worse!

Upon reboot (after saving a pupsave file), the desktop would not come up completely -- no task bar and no mouse pointer! It stopped with an error message about "globicon," I think. I had to turn the PC off and then on. Then it gets frightening.

I rebooted after editing the grub item to add "pfix=ram", to avoid using the corrupt pupsave. Early on, it automatically did a filesystem-check on the entire partition containing all of my many puppies and pupsaves! Noted by a purple message. After that, it did seem to boot up normally. I examined the pupsave, but could not determine whether anything was missing or corrupt.

This suggests that more work is needed to ensure the slmodem driver and executable are correct for kernel 2.6.34.1.

Bopapu, one difference between your and my attempt at connecting to ttySL0 is that you do not have the full initialization strings set up. The second initialization-string field being blank suggests that you skipped the pop-up dialogs when you first started pupdial (probably from the connect wizard). If you answer "No" to the prompt, that is what you get. You should answer "Yes" to both questions. But, as I found, that makes no difference -- or maybe you avoided the worse consequences that I saw, by having only "ATZ" for initialization.

Dean, unless you want to become a developer-type, there is nothing to be done about the absence of not only the Agere drivers, but all of the PCI-modem drivers, in Lupu 5. I think the situation is that the 2.6.33.2 kernel used in Lupu 5.0.1 is only an interim kernel. Now, Barry has settled on 2.6.34.1 as the long-term kernel for future puppies. I expect that puppy 5 will step up to that kernel. Barry has built many of the PCI-modem drivers for that kernel, although the popular driver for ttySL0 modems appears to be faulty and corrupting. So, that needs to be worked out. I expect, eventually, to try compiling some of the drivers Barry omitted because they would not compile without some analysis of their problems.

For now, I have to leave these driver issues in Barry's hands, as I am not very smart about troubleshooting problems like the one I describe above. However, I suspect that the "wvdial" dialer that pupdial invokes is looping when it gets "no carrier", probably because "auto reconnect" is selected. May it should not reconnect if no carrier.
Richard

Rerwin thanks for the help, I answered yes to two requests and still gave error. I think that's what you said to expect better support this driver with the new kernel. I will follow your posts and see if you can create connection and also I'll try here, working out with me I say to you.

Rerwin, I've just checked puppy package manager and the 4 dotpets are there listed as installed. This is a fresh download of qrky1.20 (md5checksummed also) with no alterations or additions whatsoever other than those 4 dotpets.

I've attached a screengrab of pupdial hoping that it will assist. There is no option to test the Modem as you can see, can only select 'Choose' in pupdial. After selecting 'Choose' it then brings me to a 'Probe' screen where I can select 'probe' or select any of the ttyusb0-5 ports for testing. However after trying to probe neither 'probe' nor any of the 5 ports will detect the modem.

However there is a flashing light on the modem which might indicate that power is being transmitted to it. Pupdial just isn't detecting this modem - 'NO MODEM DETECTED, YOU CANNOT DIAL OUT'!. This modem works fine in windows out of the same usb port.

stiginge,
Let's go back to square one but with the new packages. Start afresh, with a new pupsave, install the packages, reboot, (assuming nothing detected) wait two or more minutes, then run pmodemdiag and send me the diag file. Since the USB driver-loading logic is new, I need to see how things work with it -- either why it does not see the modem or whether the new logic has flaws.

I have been dealing with several things over the past few weeks, so need to "reset" on your issue, but with my latest attempt at "solving everything". Thanks for persisting.
Richard

Users & testers,
I have updated the modem and pup_event packages to make the pmodemdiag function work more reliably and to make pupdial able to handle bluetooth-connected cell phones used as modems.

A pmodemdiag issue surfaced in puppeee testing, where not all of the data was (were) collected. I think the "protect" log got copied before it was updated with summary information. So, now it waits for the update.

Along with a few arcane mods to pupdial, I added the ability to probe for bluetooth connections, which use device rfcomm-something and module rfcomm. Pupdial now assumes that a cell phone has already been connected to the host, so that it can be treated as are the other modems. Here is how I expect it to work:
- Bluetooth modems are not detected at bootup, because bluetooth is probably not ready at that point.
- Once a cell phone is "connected" to the host, start pupdial.
- If a modem is already detected, erase it (CHOOSE > ERASE).
- Probe for the connected phone (CHOOSE > PROBE) -- it should be found before anything else.
- If found, the "test" button will show either the rfcomm name or another USB modem-candidate, if any.
- If a "test" finds another modem-candidate, clicking that button successively will eventually get back to the rfcomm device(s) -- this button is appropriate for selecting another USB or connected-bluetooth modem once the phone is "released" from the host.

My goal is that pupdial should make unnecessary the use of gnome-ppp and wvdial, as well as the creation of a ppp option file and the ppp dialog file. The ".1" version uses the standard setup for all modems, although I have added provisions for tailoring wvdial options for bluetooth modems. On first use with a connected modem, pupdial will create a "wvdial options" file, /etc/wvdial_option/BT-[name of device, from hcitool], which should be manually modified as needed to make the modem work. Please report any mods needed, so they can be added to a default such file (BT-wvdial) once we know how it should differ from the standard options file.

I hope that anyone interested in using cell phones with puppy and pupdial will help me refine that support. I am interested in simplifying bluetooth setup, if that is needed; I do not know what options there are currently available for doing that.

Regarding the "-5/-7" packages: Other than the pmodemdiag issue, I am not aware of any regressions or other problems, judging from the absence of negative feedback. However, some pre-existing issues for particular USB modems appear to not be solved by the latest packages. We can only pick away at them, as new information appears.

We should be close to the end of modem support development, leaving only the fixing of individual problems. Pupdial should now support all modems/phones that the linux kernel supports, although some modems are difficult to get working. I will do what I can to help, but those issues may require assistance from those of you more knowledgeable about actually using the modems and their ISPs.

Different subject: Does anyone use a PC-card wireless modem? Pupdial should support IPWireless PC cards, but no one has mentioned trying them. I keep tweaking the support as I find holes in it, but am now ready for someone to actually use the capability. The card should be detected as device ttyIPWp0.

Thank you for any help you can provide to resolve all the issues we can.
Richard

UPDATE 7/28/2010: This delta brings those already at 7 or 7.1 up to 7.2.

modem_fix_pack_delta-7-to-7.2.pet

Description

Patch to the "-5" and "-7" modem-related packages, for those with them already installed.Fixes pmodemdiag and adds bluetooth readiness.

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